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Title: A Scandal at Hogwarts

Contributors: wings_of_charm , pb_prince, chochang___, lucamoonstone, kestralsfan, hermiegrange, dm_fugitive, min_mcg, artweasley

Edited by: Carla Lute

Posted: 2006-01-25 to 2-06

Game Date: September 12th

Disclaimer: No one at Levicorpus owns Harry Potter, the world or its characters. We just like to play in J.K. Rowling’s world.

* * * * * * *

Promise rubbed her eyes. It was early, and she wasn't really much of a morning person. Even after she'd showered, she still wasn't awake. She was dressed in her Hogwarts uniform with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, not a common occurance, with a dark red flower stuck in at its base. She had decided that she had to wear at least one thing pretty and feminine a day if she was going to be forced to wear a uniform.

She sat down in the Gryffindor common room sipping on her first mug of coffee of the day and picked up the new copy of the diviner that sat on the table.
She stared at the front page for a moment, not really reading at all but just holding the paper for looks when her eye caught a very distinct picture of two of Promise's friends in a rather private moment. It didn't register with Promise what the picture meant for a moment, she wasn't really too preturbed about the whole thing until she realized exactly why that picture was on the front page and why it would be news. One of those friends happened to be Hogwarts' newest professor, and one happened to be a student.

She skimmed the article with wide eyes, nearly snorting her coffee up her nose and choking, horrified. Blaise was actually TRYING to get expelled! Not only that, but he was endangering Cho's job along the way.

She swallowed the aggressive mouthful of coffee that had tried to kill her moments before and pointed at the paper dramatically to get Charm's attention.

Charm gave a squeal of alarm then immediatly took off. Promise looked startled, she knew what the little cat was up to. She was destroying the front page of every Diviner she could find. Promise shook her head, she had to smile a little bit at the effort the little cat was making to protect her friend.

Promise frowned and stood to go to the great hall. She wasn't that interested in breakfast anymore, but there were other reasons to go.

* * * * * * *

Blaise waited to walked up to breakfast with Crabbe and Goyle the next morning. He did not feel like talking to anyone, and the presence of the large boys tended to scatter the rabbled. Still he got the strange feeling that everyone was staring at him. He wedged himself between them at the table in hopes of keeping Daphne away, but she entered the space across from them and slammed a thin, unfamiliar newspaper on the table. "Do you want to explain this?" she demanded.

Blaise took the paper and stared at uncomprehendingly for a moment. "Well?!" Daphne demanded.

"Well what?" Blaise asked.

Promise stalked up to the table where Daphne sat, eyes flashing. "BACK off, Daphne, this doesn't concern you," she spat irritably then plopped herself down so close to Daphne that the girl was forced to scoot over or be uncomfortably near someone who she assumably didn't like.

Promise gave Blaise a beleaguered look, "Seriously, Blaise. Couldn't your stepfather have developed a mysterious and serious illness during the week of the race?"

Blaise blinked and look at her. "He could," he said, completely missing her implication. "He's old enough."

Promise shook her head, looking slightly concerned. "You seriously WANT to be expelled, Blaise? There are just easier ways to go about this sort of thing aren't there?"

Just as she said that there was a squeal from a student as Charm attacked her newspaper, tore it up then blew fire on it, afterwards taking off to find another helpless victim.

Promise smirked, "She's been on a mission to destroy all Diviners since we first noticed. She's pretty pissed."

Blaise's expression didn't betray much. He had wanted to be expelled until he talked to Draco. Now, he wasn't quite so sure. He couldn't even muster up a smile when Charm breathed fire, though he was aware this normally might have delighted him. He just felt bad, sick.

* * * * * * *

When Cho woke up, the 1st edition of the school paper was at the end of her bed. Without looking at it, she set it on the table and got ready for the day. On her way out the door she grabbed the newspaper and left for the Great Hall. When she walked into the Great Hall, everyone was staring at her. She pretended not to notice, and walked over to the teachers table, set up her food , and started reading the paper.

"WHAT?!" she whispered to herself angrily. She looked at the name of the author "Luca Moonstone, how typical." she said as she scanned the room for the boy. When she finally found him, she got up from her chair and walked to the Slytherin boy.

"I must talk with you Luca," Cho said as she approached him. She walked out of the Great Hall expecting him to follow her.

Luca looked up at Cho, knowing this was going to happen. He nodded and stood up, watching as the ruckus this was causing gathered much attention. Many students were interested in wht was going to happen from the article.

Luca stood up and pulled out his pen and parchment and stood there in the middle of the Great Hall, staring up at Professor Chang as she turned to look from him at the doorway, his gaze steady. A resolute look on his face, he stood his ground and tried not to listen to the hushed chors of those around him, as they murmured as to what he was doing.

Luca stood there, his choice made, the next move was Cho's.

"I thought this article was supposed to be about Blaise being a prefect.. " Cho said holding up the paper "I see nowhere in this article you talk about him being a prefect. You had no buissness writing this article at all."

Cho had much more to say, but she wanted to take this one step at a time.

Luca stood up, puffing his chest out slightly.

"It was to be about him, I was keeping close tabs on him, to write respectful article. We may not get along, but I feel his accomplishment deserved to be known, and then I saw what I took picture of. I am most shocked, but what I saw was truth, the photo does not lie, Professor. I had many theories in my mind why this would occur, and added those as well."

He stared at her intently in the eye.

"My business in writing the article was to report happening around the school that people should be aware of. Relationship between student and teacher is something that needs to be seen."

He pulled out a quill and parchment. Still standing in the middle of the Great Hall.

"Now I am willing to write your side of these things, before all these witnesses if you feel I have slighted you, Professor."

Luca smiled. Simply smiled and waited, pen at the ready.

Luca’s words just made Cho even more infuriated.

"I don’t want you to take notes on me, Luca. I am not making a statement for you. There is no side of things either," Cho said as calmly as possible. "This new hobby you have taken up is ruining people`s lives, and I’m not talking only about journalism. Not only is this article innapropriate for school, but it is also false. Not one of your little 'theories' is true."

By now, almost everyone in the Great Hall was staring at her and Luca. She took the pen and notepad from Luca`s hands.

"50 points from Slytherin. And you, Mr. Moonstone, are being assigned detention."

She could hear a few groans come from the Slytherin table. For once, she finally felt that she had used her advantages as a Professor rightly. For once, she finally felt like she belonged as a teacher.

"Now, do not think that this is something personal. By all means it is not. But in a school newspaper you are to write about school. A school newspaper is not to be used for a gossip column.. I’m sure the students take care of that already," she heard a few giggles and people agreeing from around the room.

Luca stood there, staring at the back of Cho's retreating form.

"Would you care to repeat to the student body again, that unwarranted accusation about my ruining people's lives? So it seems the beliefs against my people run deep in you as well."

He walked, watching some of the other students drop their jaw at his defiance.

"A teacher and a student kissing IS our business because we ARE teachers and students. Just because you don't like me does not give you right to silence me for showing these students the truth. You take my pen, you take my paper, and you punish me for showing these students what is going on. You and Blaise Zabini have been spending other nights together, at my musical performance. Ginny Weasley was there. I am not ashamed to be punished for what I do, Professor, why are you ashamed?"

He knew that no matter how many points were taken, how many detentions, the student body had seen him stand up to defend himself, facing down a professor because he found out a dirty secret, and you cannot buy that kind of sympathy and influence.

"Would Professor McGonnigal, Professor Tonks, tell me would THEY, before a student body at breakfast, would THEY tell a student he is responsible for the ruining of lives? Everyone in this room heard you, I don't need to write this. Everyone knows that when things go bad, you blame a Gypsy, easiest scapegoat in the world. I assumed after you listened to my music your compliments were true. It saddens me that you would punish me for this."

Luca shivered from rage, but kept his nerve, he had his fists clentched so hard his nailed drew blood the his palms, but he kept his voice low and steady, eyes upon him and Cho.

Promise glared at Luca. She could have slapped him. She didn't hate him, but accusing Cho of working against him because he was a Gypsy was ludicrous and irritating. Cho and Promise were very good friends, and Promise was a third Gypsy herself.

* * * * * * *

Blaise had read the article until he felt sick. The picture had the annoying effect of making the brief kiss look long and repitious. To his surprise, Crabbe and Goyle had seemed rather impressed by the whole thing. Daphne seemed to actually be having fun, as she unsuccessfully tried to pry details from him. He was trying to see how Tracey and Pansy were taking it.

But his attention was drawn by the increasing volume of the exchange between Luca and Cho. While those around him groaned, Blaise actually gave a brief smile when Cho docked them 50 points. Now, she's acting like a teacher, he thought with bitter amusement.

He shook his head at Luca's rebuttle. "Damn, gypsy never stops whining," he muttered quietly, and Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement.

"Want us to shut him up?" Crabbe asked.

Blaise shook his head. "Not now, Antoine said to keep my head down." Crabbe and Goyle nodded, and Blaise was glad they understood what the words of Antoine meant.

* * * * * * *

Seamus walked into the Great Hall and was met with a roar of activity. Across every table he could see dozens of The Diviner spread open. He found a spot at the Gryffindor table next to Promise, and sat down.

"What's all the commotion about?" he asked, grabbing a tall stack of pancakes (He was hungry, and he could hear what was going on while eating just as easy).

Hermione walked in, already with a stack of Diviners in her arms. She grabbed more, from all the Gryffindors and sat down putting the stack of papers on the table. She murmured a spell that sent then into flames.

"I’m glad that part is done. I’m starving." Hermione said. "Seamus, you want to know what this is all about?" Hermione got up from her seat and walked over to a Gryffindor girl sitting further down and took the paper she was holding in her hands. "This is what it’s about" she said handing the paper to Seamus, ignoring the nasty looks the Gryffindor girl who she had taken the paper from was giving her.

Seamus leaned away as the papers erupted into large flames, then took the paper that Hermione held toward him. He scanned the article and put the paper down.

"Why did you burn them?" He asked Hermione. "What was wrong with that article being published?"

As he was asking the question, little Charm dive bombed a student carrying a Diviner past the table and tore the front page to shreds, blowing fire out of her mouth at the rest of the paper then taking off into another direction, looking livid.

"The article is inappropriate for school, Seamus!" Hermione insisted "That is NOT something students should be reading about and it is my duty, along with the prefects, to confiscate things that distract the students and are inappropriate for school. This newspaper was supposed to be about school, not about the weekly gossip."

"Except that it relates directly to what's going on in the school. I do hate the fact that it had to bring Cho into it, I'll say that much." Seamus had forgotten all about breakfast, and was standing by the table facing Hermione, with no signs of leaving his spot. "We all know that Blaise has been wanting to enter that bloody race, and he was trying to weasel permission out of a teacher! It's not about 'Blaise kissing Cho'. I could care less who's kissing who. But if he was able to get permission to enter the race that way, what else is possible? We have security precautions for a reason. You should know that as well as anybody else. If we let things like this go unnoticed, who knows what could happen. We had enough problems last year!"

Seamus hadn't noticed, but his voice was rising, and more people were turning their attention to He and Hermione.

"It’s already obvious he was using her, Seamus. I don’t care who’s kissing who either, but other people do. And that’s why I am burning them. That article Luca wrote was supposed to be about Blaise being a prefect, not Cho and Blaise." Hermione got up from her seat, taking her anger out on the newspapers she was collecting from the students. She didn’t care if she missed one, because the whole 'student body' as Luca called it knew the story in and out already. She just wanted all the copies burnt because she knew it was her job.

"Should a prefect be doing what he did?" Seamus yelled back defiantly. "I saw nothing wrong with that article. You're doing your duty. Luca was doing his. And I stand by that." Other students were nodding, and some stood by Luca, others by Hermione. The 'sides' were close in number, and the shouting matches were getting pretty ugly.

Hermione thought that this was a bunch of rubbish. She honestly didn’t care, and she didn’t know what Seamus was doing, but she had to say something back.

"NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT ARTICLE? NOTHING AT ALL? YES, MAYBE LUCA WAS DOING HIS JOB, BUT HE DID NOT DO IT CORRECTLY NOR DID HE USE COMMON SENSE WHEN DID IT!"

* * * * * * *

"QUIET!" came a magically enhanced voice that rang through the Great Hall.

"Ms. Dae, control your pet and put that out!" Professor Slughorn interrupted, pointing at the small fire. His short, fat legs had taken a while to carry him down from the teachers table. He stopped, put his hand on Luca's shoulder and took a few puffs of breath from the exertion. "That's enough, Mr. Moonstone. Whatever your dedication to your journalism may be, Luca, Professor Chang is a Hogwarts teacher, and you are expected to give her the proper respect."

He took another deep breath. "Clearly, there are some issues here that require serious discussion, and I think it best if we see the Headmistress. Cho, if you would lead the way to her office."

"Proudly," said Cho as she turned her heel and headed out the doors of the great hall to the headmistresses office, knowing all eyes were on all four of them as they walked out of the door.

Slughorn turned back to point his wand at Blaise. "You too, Mr. Zabini." He dropped his voice to a normal level. "And Luca, I believe the Headmistress will have a few things to discuss with you as well."

He added sternly, "Leave the quill and parchment."

Luca smiled as many students stood up, he had counted ten before he was turned and grasped on the shoulder.

"Understood, Professor Slughorn. But I do ask that I be allowed to record what is said in there. If I am to be punished for speaking truth, serve detention, I feel it is only right for the student body to learn of my mistake then. If there is nothing to hide in there, why can we not have it recorded? I will even let you have final say in what I submit to Creevy."

He nodded, walking with him out the door, hearing a few students clap their hands.

Inwardly he smiled, outcast or not, his actions today put him in the spotlight. He was an underdog, standing up against a system that was crashing against him, any teenager would back up someone like that...

He felt a strange irony, he got in trouble the one time he spoke the honest truth... Perhaps there was something to the power of the printed word...

Slughorn frowned uncertainly at Luca. "That will be up to the Headmistress to decide, but I don't think Minerva will take kindly to the suggestion."

* * * * * * *

Promise sighed and put a hand on Blaise's shoulder then got up and chased Charm down. She pointed at the flaming paper, and the little cat, looking chastised, blew a little bit of ice at it to put it out then lighted upon her shoulder, still glaring at all of the students.

Blaise looked at Promise's hand, but before he had time to think about pulling away she had removed it. Goyle put a hand on his back, half pushing him as he got up. He walked past the other students, only vaguely aware of them.

* * * * * * *

Seamus stared at the large doors as Cho led the way out, Slughorn, Luca, nd Blaise following.

He sat back down at the table, quietly finishing his breakfast. "There was nothing wrong with what Luca wrote," he said to nobody in particular.

"URGH!" Hermione said when she heard Seamus` remark.

When all four of them were out of the doors, she waited a few moments and then got up from her seat and left the great hall.

Promise looked irritated at what Seamus had just said. "Seamus, if this wasn't a school then the world would have a right to know. However, though this is a very important matter and eventually the students have a right to know, this should have been handled much differently. This article was a disgusting attempt to get attention, a gossip bomb, more or less. Luca had NO right to do what he did. I agree with Hermione."

She was greatly displeased and decided that before saying something mean to a boy she really did like that it would be best to leave and followed Hermione's example.

* * * * * * *

Minerva sat at her desk glaring at the door waiting for the party to arrive. When they all walked in she took a deep breath and spoke with a firm voice.

"Sit." she ordered all of them. She pulled out her wand and conjered up enough chairs for all of them. "I want to get though this as painlessly as possible." She stood and leaned over her desk, pressing her plams against the hard wood.

"I run a school here, in case you forgot. I will not have this chaos in my school. We will start with what seems like the root of the problem...." Minerva heard the scratching of the quill "Mr. Moonstone, please put that away."

"First of all...what were you two thinking?" Minerva pointed to Blasie and Cho.

Blaise had managed to force himself to breath regularly, but his heart rate was up a bit. Take full responsibility, he told himself. Draco told you to take full responsibility. How he was supposed to do that and not get expelled he wasn't quite sure, but this was Draco's plan. Blaise was just following it.

Blaise stepped forward. "I take full responsiblity, Headmistress," Blaise said, forcing himself to look squarely at McGonagall. "Professor Chang had simply stopped to talk to me, and I took advantage of the situation. Clearly, I didn't think it through properly. I believe I upset her, and she did not feel in the right state to assign punishment at the time. She probably intended to discuss the matter with you first." Blaise hesitated, pressing his lips together, and glanced briefly at Luca who was half-hidden behind Slughorn. Trying to remember what Malfoy did to get out of trouble. "And I would have told Moonstone as much had he asked me."

Cho was very suprised at what had come out of Blaise`s mouth. She thought he’d be selfish ...but no he took full responsibility for it. Thank God Cho thought to herself. She looked over at Blaise and smiled.

"That’s what happened. Nothing more." she smiled at the Headmistress

Minerva's head was swimming. If only Albus was still here.

"That very well may be. But it still was a violation of both student and faculty conduct. Mr. Zabini, you will be stripped of your prefect badge and duties, you will have a months worth of detention to be surved with your Head-of-House, and 250 points will be taken from Slytherin." She looked at Slughorn, and he nodded as if to say he understood.

"Ms. Chang. I will not fire you as I cannot lose you as a teacher at this time. However, despite who's fault it was, you both were to blame. I will discuss this with you at a later date. You two can go."

Cho was relieved that she had excused them, but she wanted to stay around to hear what she had to say to Luca. But being the headmistress, Cho had to listen to her.

"Thank you. I will send you an owl later to set up a time and date for our meeting, I have other things I would like to discuss with you." Cho got up and walked slowly out of the room.

Blaise bit his tongue when she came to the 250 points. Slytherin didn't even have 250 points yet. He knew Pansy would be less than thrilled. He also felt an urge to protest, quite confused as to how she was still finding fault with Professor Chang, but Chang looked happy. She was even smiling again, so he kept his mouth closed.

"Wait outside for me," Slughorn said as Blaise passed. "We'll discuss your detentions." Blaise nodded, followed Cho out of the office, and sat down on the steps outside the office.

After the office door had closed behind them, Blaise added, "I'm sorry, Professor" to Cho's retreating form. Might as well get it over with in one shot.

Cho was so happy she wasn’t getting fired that she almost forgot why she wasn’t getting fired. When she heard those words come out of Blaise's mouth she stopped in her tracks, turned to face him, smiled, and said, "I guess I forgive you...but only because I didn’t expect you to do what you did in there.."

Blaise shrugged. "It was my fault." He looked down at the steps. A question formed on his lips, but he let it die there. He scooted himself closer to the wall and rested his head against it.

"Yeah, it was.. " she agreed and nodded her head. "But if I would have done something about it.. we wouldn’t be here right now..and Luca wouldn't have gotten his way. I can just imagine him in there right now 'But I am a gypsy.. that’s why they are upset with me' . He makes me sick.."

Blaise smirked inspite himself but still did not look at Cho. "I can't believe he was following me around with a camera."

"That’s just creepy," she said. She felt uncomfortable, so she started playing with a piece of her hair.

Blaise looked up and watched Cho play with her hair for a minute. "You should leave before Slughorn comes out," he said. "I don't understand why you're not angry at me, but you should act like you are."

"Just because I forgave you doesn’t mean that I’m not angry with you. You did say some pretty mean things to me." Cho dropped the piece of hair she was playing with "You’re right I better leave."

* * * * * * *

Luca stood there, a bit nervous, paper folded and quill tucked behind his ear.

"Now, for you, Mr. Moonstone. As I just got back, I do not know much about the conflicts that seem to center around you. This is your chance to defend yourself on all acounts." Minerva sat back down and waited for Luca's respconce.

Luca bowed to McGonnagal, smiling nervously and then stood up straight. Looking her in the eye.

"I am most sorry that this all seems to be stemming from my actions. First I would like to say in my defense that this was my first article, I am still mostly unsure how one does this reporting. I am taking many cues from famous reporter I met in first year, a Rita Skeeter. She is most pretty, no? I remember reading her articles to help me with my English, and how her stories had such emotion behind them, the questions she posed. I was merely trying to emulate style."

He smiled nervously, shuffling his feet. His shoulders slumped as he bit his lower lip.

"If this is my doing for all of this horrible occurances, I vill gladly take Blaise's punishments as my own. Do not strip him of Prefect. Who would be worthy of such honor? I was merely trying to bring truth to our students. Truth is what I feel we as students need in such hard times, no? Realize I am still unfamiliar with all of your ways of doing things, even after four years, many things that may seem natural are not as so for me. English is second language, that is why I am trying to find ways to get better while still expressing myself. I am most glad to have met Creevey, he who gave me chance to do this reporter job."

Luca looked at his feet, in thought then up at Minerva with a bit of worry in his eye.

"I will be honest with you. Blaise Zabini and I are not good friends. We have many real differences, but that does not mean I vould do these things intentionally. I know many vould say I am, how you say, one track of record? Yes I throw the concept of my people around when people do not trust me alot. Some call this whining. But understand I have lived that life for many years. I have ran for my life from wizards who blame our family for things we do not do. Ran. For. My. Life. So please understand it is what I am used to when someone claims to not trust me. From what I can gather Malcolm got some Zonko or something clay what it expolde. It is not made right, or too much and gets passed around and goes boom on Ginny Weasley’s arm. She is ok, they investigate and in nervousness Malcolm blames me. Then confesses in front of Zabini and Slughorn, myself too. Zabini is not pleased and continues to ask me if it was me, such it the start of our problems. Then it seems everyone who has been acting nice to me is no longer, and no reason why for this. I feel Zabini does not trust me, and tells students to treat me as, how you say, vhat vord.. Pariah? Yes. Outcasting."

Luca stood, awaiting verdict, chin up and standing stright, looking McGonnagal in the eye.

"I am not wanting to be causing this trouble, I assure you, I am just trying to express myself after being quiet for so many years. I am used to stage and show, as you say.. over the top? Be patient with me and guide me, but I plead do not punish Zabini for what I have done, it ees not fair on heem. He is skilled racer, and I feel has true feelings for former classmate. I leave my fate in your hands."

Luca bowed courtly, to signify he had come to the end of his defence.

"Mr. Moonstone..." McGonnagal began slowly. "First of all I do admire your convictions, and your passion for learning. I have never had a problem with you before in your years here. And from what I can recall at the moement, you’re not a bad student either." Her head was swimming, after this was all over, she was going to go ask Tonks for a stiff drink.

"I do believe you that you were simply trying to report the truth. And with what is going on in the world today the truth is all that we have. I am not going to kick you out of this school. However, I will be taking you off of the paper. If you would like to improve your English, a tutor can be found for you. If you wish.

"Finally, I am sorry that you feel outcasted, it is unfortunate. But you can rise above that. It takes the bigger man to walk away from the challenges presented to him in life with all his honor intact. Think about it. You’re free to go."

Luca bowed and smiled. Although he did have one thing nagging at him.

"May I humbly request to be put on a probationary period for the newspaper, as you said all we have now is truth, and that vas vhat I vas trying to do. I would be more than happy to submit my articles to a teacher to make sure such an event does not happen again, but I will step down from paper if I must. Again I thank you, Professor. I will leave you to your work, if you feel I could be of use to paper later, let me know I am merely wanting to be of help. I ntimes such as these, the concept of houses seems small, no? We should be vorking together as one. Again, good day to you."

Luca turned on his heels and exited the chambers, heading down the hallways back to his dormatory, smiling to himself. He won.

* * * * * * *

Blaise stood as the office door opened once again. Luca came out first and Blaise pressed to one side to let him pass. Slughorn followed, looking serious and twitching his mustache as if it itched him. He stopped when he saw Blaise and closed the office door behind him.

"Well, I suppose you'll be spending a lot of time with me this month, Mr. Zabini," he said with a sort of false smile, then dropped his voice and put his hand on Blaise's shoulder. "I don't want to reward bad behavior, Blaise, but I was thinking over one of Luca's theories. If you want to get kicked out, I have some final say as Head of House. Don't get me wrong. I don't want you to go, but I don't want us to have any future incidents. We can keep this conversation between us, if you'd rather I not involve your mother. So what's your choice, Mr. Zabini?"

The incredibly irritating thing about this whole plan was that it had worked perfectly. Blaise gritted his teeth, took a slow breath, and then answered. "I want to stay at Hogwarts, sir."

Slughorn nodded and patted Blaise's shoulder in a consoling sort of way. "Good, good. I trust you'll be on your best behavior then. I was young once, Blaise. You're not the first to lose his way in matters of the heart, but I think it best if you avoid any further contact with Professor Chang until the year is out."

Blaise had always felt a certain amount of contempt for Slughorn, but it seemed particularly sharp at the moment. The Potions Master seemed to take his sour expression for general unhappiness.

"I'll give you something useful to do during your detentions," Slughorn said as they headed down the stairs. Blaise wished he'd remove his hand from his arm but did not say anything. "Never held much stock in lines and such rubbish. Might even be a little fun to have an assistant. A month and year seem so long at your age, but they pass soon enough, my boy. Goodness, at my age they practically fly."

Pansy stalked out of the Great Hall only moments after entering, after seeing the picture and hearing the story from Goyle--who, for once, seemed to be a reliable source of information. She stormed through hallways, getting little pleasure from the students pressing themselves against walls to get out of her way. She rounded the corner to the Headmistress' office, then stopped and stepped back as Blaise and Slughorn came out. Slughorn spoke to Blaise, who looked quite upset indeed, and then walked off. She turned again and walked up to him.

"Are you out of your mind?!" she exploded, stabbing her finger into his chest. "And with a professor and a former Ravenclaw! And you could have had another way to go about it, and oh, when your mother hears about this she won't know what to do, not to mention what Dr--others will do!" She knew she had no right to be so upset, really, since the article and photo were by Moonstone, but she wasn't sure why she felt upset about Blaise kissing Cho. It wasn't like she liked him...right?

She shook her head, remembering Moonstone. "And where is that little prat Luca?" she growled, looking around Blaise. "He won't have a wand when I'm through with him, since it'll be shoved--" she stopped, trying to calm down.

Blaise looked stung by Pansy's rebuke. "He already told me it was stupid," Blaise said, feeling for the first time near tears. Though he wouldn't cry. He never cried. "He, Antoine, told me to take responsibility. I did. I lost us two hundred fifty points. I'm sorry."

Crabbe and Goyle came walking up the hall. They must have followed Pansy. "Did they kick you out?" Crabbe asked in a worried tone. Blaise shook his head, wishing they had, but Crabbe and Goyle looked relieved.

Pansy studied Blaise's face, then turned around and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Steadied a bit, she turned back to him. "All right, well, at least you know you did something dumb," she said. Blaise looked...crushed was the word that came to mind. "And at least you're not expelled, for which I would have found you and killed you in the slowest way I could imagine." She clenched her fists at her sides, then forced herself to unclench them. "And, yes, two hundred and fifty points is quite a lot to lose, but we'll figure something out; we're Slytherins. And Antoine shouldn't be talking about responsibility." She sighed, and tucked her wand back in her pocket, looking at Crabbe and Goyle as they walked up.

Pansy (not quite sure of why she did it) touched Blaise's arm gently, then yanked her hand away, feeling stupid for showing something that close to affection. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," she said, for once not proud of her temper. "It just made me so mad. Moonstone..." she shook her head. "I hate that boy."

If Blaise had had any lingering ideas about getting himself expelled, Pansy vanquished them. He still felt indifferent towards Moonstone, who had simply acted in a way Blaise had come to expect from him, but it pleased him to hear Pansy that hated him.

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